The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have been tipped to make wholesale changes to their backline after a disappointing end to their 2025 NRL campaign — including a potential switch of Stephen Crichton to fullback.

After looking like genuine premiership candidates early in the season, leading the competition after 16 rounds, the Bulldogs lost five of their final six games and crashed out of finals in straight sets.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs suffered a 46-26 thrashing against four-time defending champions the Penrith Panthers in a must-win semi-final in Sydney.

Coach Cameron Ciraldo came under criticism for his selection shake-ups towards the back-end of the season, specifically injecting Lachlan Galvin into the starting line-up at the expense of Toby Sexton and replacing Reed Mahoney with Bailey Hayward at hooker. However, Ciraldo backflipped on those decisions ahead of Sunday’s games, reinstating Sexton as halfback and Mahoney as hooker.

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Speaking on Fox League’s NRL 360 on Monday evening, News Corp reporter Brent Read predicted that promising teenager Mitchell Woods would start at halfback next season, pairing Galvin in the halves.

Knights forward Leo Thompson will bolster the Bulldogs forward pack while injury-prone Kade Dykes will offer depth in the backline.

“They need some big forwards,” Read said.

“They need strength in the middle of the field because they got steamrolled at times this year they need more than Leo Thompson for me.”

Mitchell Woods.Source: News Corp Australia

Read also declared that New South Wales representative Crichton was a “chance” to play at fullback in 2026 at the expense of Connor Tracey.

“Tracey, as good as he is, he’s a really solid first-grader, I think Crichton is elite,” Read said.

“The more you can get the ball in his hands, the better you are.”

Speaking on Channel Nine’s 100% Footy on Monday, Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould said the club would continue to promote from within, predicting that Woods would debut in 2026.

“We’ve got young Mitch Woods on contract for three years,” Gould said.

“We’re really timing our run with him. I think he’ll debut next year. We’ve been cautious with him coming through and he’s had a good season in the lower grades.

“At the start of next year he will get a chance.”

The presence of Woods and marquee young signing Lachlan Galvin puts a spotlight on the future of five-eighth Matt Burton, who is still only 25 and contracted until the end of 2027.

While he is a former Dally M Centre of the Year,and returned to the position out of necessity in Sunday’s final loss, he joined the Dogs on the understanding that he would play No.6. Five-eighth is clearly Galvin’s best spot and Woods is a natural No.7, meaning a shunt to centre or lock may loom for Burton— or another switch of clubs for the Panthers premiership winner.